Missionary Preparation at Zion’s Camp

Last week over 50 young men and women visited Southern Virginia University for Zion’s Camp — a six-day preparation experience for Latter-day Saint missions. The objective of the camp is to give youth an instructive preview of missionary life, including serving with an assigned companion, cooking meals, studying daily on your own and with your companion, dressing like a missionary, using social media for missionary work and teaching gospel principles in person.

“It’s preparing you to go on your mission,” said Kristian Dorman, who participated in the camp in June. “Because you have [missionary] experiences, it’s a lot easier to visualize [what a mission is like].”

This is the university’s third year sponsoring Zion’s Camp. The camp has attracted youth from all over the east, mid-west and beyond. The camp schedule includes daily study and training from returned-missionary counselors, zone conferences, practice in teaching, a hike and an actual teaching experience on the final morning of the camp.

John Cotton, another camp participant, especially enjoyed the camaraderie he felt with other participants.

“You’re not just growing by yourself individually. You’re also growing together within a district, like a family,” Cotton said. “It makes me want to go on a mission more.”